Scars
by Dreamingfox
Summary: Harry and company deal with Ron's death in the Ministry of Magic. The survivors are all left with scars but have formed a stronger bond because of it. Neville starts to come into his own but there are more challenges facing them as the wizarding world goes to war.
1. Chapter 1

Pain, unimaginable pain, raced through every cell of his being even after the crazed Death Eater lowered her wand. The feel of the cool stone floor brought his attention to everything going on around him as he lay at the feet of the unmasked Death Eater that had been holding him. Yet as intense as the pain had been it did not prevent him from seeing the pained look in Harry Potter's eyes.

The Cruciatus Curse had sent his body into uncontrollable spasms but with Bellatrix's wand no longer focused on him he was slowly regaining control of his body but it was not the pain that Neville Longbottom was focused on. 'I can't let him down,' he thought as he saw the defeated look in his fellow Griffindor's eyes. 'I need a weapon.'

His hands scrabbled for purchase even as he fought for breath. The feel of a wooden handle in his hands sent a wave of cooling relief through his hands and arms that spread throughout his body. The weight of the weapon was unfamiliar to him, but he knew what he needed to do. With a flick of his wrist he pulled the weapon out from beneath the Death Eater's robe, slicing the man's leg and sending a spray of blood into the air even as Neville regained his feet.

A sudden explosion shook the entire chamber as the door to the room was destroyed by a combination of powerful spells.

"Expelliarmus!" it was Harry taking advantage of the chaos.

Lunging forward he slashed at the disbelieving witch and wizards. The closest of the dark wizards to conjure a shielding spell which failed to stop the blade though it allowed the others to step back as their comrade was cut down. Spells rained down on them from as five figures emerged from the sundered entryway. Two of the figures were familiar to him as both had been former Defense Against the Dark Arts professors – Professor Lupin and Professor Moody.

"Crucio!" Neville swung the sword knowing that it would not prevent curse from hitting him. It came as a surprise to both himself and the woman that the spell had not affected him. He took advantage of her surprise by lunging at her only for Bellatrix to apparate out of his reach. While she was not able to leave the room she had put some distance between herself and Neville before one of the five new comers began dueling with her.

Reluctantly Neville turned his attention to the wizards that remained before him. Two had already begun dueling with the pair of former professors while a third tended to their injured comrades. Even with the new arrivals Harry was being pressed by Lucius Malfoy and another Death Eater as the dark wizards sought the sphere in Harry's hand. Sword in hand Longbottom advanced on the pair of Death Eaters assaulting Harry.

Wizarding society frowned upon interrupting a wizarding duel, but having two adult wizards facing a teen still in training was probably also frowned upon. Then again, this was not a duel.

Leaping off of the steps Neville impaled the unknown Death Eater, sending the magical blade through the man's back and chest. Startled by the sudden turn in the battle Lucius failed to put up his defenses, allowing Harry to hit the proud Malfoy patriarch with a disarming charm. Neville added a kick to the stomach before bringing down the hilt of the blade on Lucius' head, knocking the man senseless.

"Good job you two," a scraggly man said as he kicked aside the wand from the still bleeding Death Eater.

Something about him made Neville uneasy.

Before he could bring his blade up Harry placed his free hand on Neville's sword hand, "He's on our side."

The wanted posters did not show the depths that Azkaban had affected the escaped convict. Even two years removed from his mysterious escape Sirius Black appeared to be emaciated and under fed.

"Find your friends," the last scion of House Black ordered the teens. "We'll take care of the Death Eaters."

A sudden cry brought the trio's attention to the lone women in the chamber. Bellatrix Lestrange had managed to subdue her opponent, leaving the other woman crumpled and falling from the stairs. Sirius rushed to slow the young witch's descent while Harry just watched as the crazed witch ascended the stairs.

Neville found himself giving chase, taking the stairs seemingly effortlessly. Soon he found himself in the corridors. Evidence of the teens' flight scarred the once polished marble of the walls, ceiling, and floor. Bits of debris lay so as to obstruct their path without providing them cover from the spells that Bellatrix shot back at them. The narrow corridor limited their ability to close the distance as lethal green jets were sent back at them. Neither teen knew how to defend against the Killing Curse aside from moving out of the way into one of the side corridors.

As the only one armed with a wand Harry was able to at least shoot hexes back at Bellatrix as she ran. For his part Neville was able to deflect minor hexes and curses with the sword though he knew better than to use the sword to block the lethal jets of green that she shot back at them.

"You think you can catch me?" the insane witch taunted.

"Stupify!"

With little effort she erected a shield to deflect the spell back at Harry and Neville, forcing them to deal with Harry's spell. "Avada Kadavra!"

Both teens jumped into a side corridor only to realize that she hadn't cast the spell at them. They glanced at each other then up the corridor as Bellatrix retreated.

"Ron!" They recognized the voice though they had never heard her cry out in anguish before. Instantly they knew what had happened.

The youngest Weasley's distress only served to fuel Neville's desire to give chase. As one they jumped to their feet and rushed up the passageway. It was far easier to deal with their anger and perhaps hate than it was to deal with grief. Through the maze of corridors and doors the two continued to pursue the dark witch. With each step they seemed to draw closer to her. Wisps of robe became a skirt; black robes gave way to dark lace.

"Crucio!" Harry's spell caught Bellatrix unawares, knocking her off her feet before sending her sliding over the smooth floor even as her body spasmed in pain.

Gasps for breath became light laughter as she shrugged off Harry's attempt at the Unforgivable Curse. "You've got to mean it!" she taunted as she turned towards Harry.

Neville saw the look of surprise in her face as she realized that Harry was not alone. Though he was the less athletic of the two Neville's longer legs allowed him to cover more ground.

Her breath escaped her lips in a wet wheeze as he drove the blade through her breast so that it protruded through her back. His eyes locked on hers as they hit the wall behind her. He could hear her gasping for breath even as her eyes slowly lost their crazed gleam.

"Master," she whimpered. "I… I have failed…."

He was aware of some shouting and even some flashes of light, but nothing was more important to him than the look in Bellatrix's eyes as she realized that she was dying.

The sound of his name being spoken drew him out of his daze. "Neville."

He turned to see Harry and Hogwarts' true Headmaster addressing him. "Neville." Wrinkled, gentle hands clasped over his, reminding him of the fact that he still held onto the sword that pinned Bellatrix Lestrange's body to the wall. A gentle tug was all that was needed to dislodge the blade from body and stone. "I think it best that you return with Harry to Hogwarts."

His lips were dry but his mouth and tongue were sticky with his blood. Nodding in reply he took a step back though he retained his hold on the blade.

* * *

><p>Author's Notes - I do not own Harry Potter or anything related to it.<p>

Just an idea that has been in my head for a while. Wondering if anyone would be interested in reading it though I'll probably update it whenever I feel the urge to write. If you follow my other fics don't expect batches of updates from me for this fic.

Dreamingfox


	2. Chapter 2

Numb was the best way to describe how Neville Longbottom felt as he sat between Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley.

Of the two Hermione had the more serious injuries. The wordless curse she'd been hit with had affected her ability to breath properly forcing Madam Pomprey to administer a freshly brewed potion every fifteen minutes. As Madam Pom prey was busy brewing the potion it fell to Neville to ensure that Hermione drank the potion. A side effect of the curse was that Hermione was not able to speak, thus ensuring her silence. Injured as she was Hermione had refrained from writing too many questions as she too was focused on the bed behind the youngest Weasley.

Ginny had suffered a broken ankle but it was the loss of her brother that hurt the most. She had been with him when he had been hit by Bellatrix's curse. Injured as she was she sought to sit beside her brother's body as the rest of the Weasley clan gathered about Ron's body. It fell to the usually chipper twins to comfort her. Their usual antics though were replaced by a more somber air as they sat on opposite sides of her and embraced her in a hug.

After returning from the Ministry of Magic Dumbledore had spoken with both of them after swearing Neville to secrecy. The ancient wizard had told them of the prophecy that Voldemort and his Death Eaters had sought to acquire in the Ministry of Magic and of how that vary prophecy had endangered both of them when they had been infants. Ultimately Voldemort had chosen to go after Harry but the failed attack had led his most loyal followers to attack the Longbottoms. Neville's mind was still reeling from all that he'd been told though Dumbledore had more to tell Harry and had sent Neville to the hospital wing to tend to his broken nose and the various cuts and scrapes that he'd been subjected to.

Everything that he'd endured paled to what the Weasley's were enduring though. Even the Cruciatus Curse had not inflicted that much pain in comparison. Several of their rescuers had assisted the other teens before bringing them directly to Hogwarts.

Ron's body had been brought here as well while.

When he'd first arrived in the hospital wing Madam Pomprey had insisted on inspecting him as there had been bits of blood left on his face and chest. He'd insisted that he was fine, and physically he was, but emotionally he was drained. Seeing Ginny sobbing with her remaining brothers and Hermione fighting back her tears so that she could gulp down the potions that she was offered was heart-wrenching.

It was not the first time that he had felt as though he did not belong. It had been Bill Weasley who had managed to coax him into the room and ultimately Hermione's injuries that had convinced him to stay.

Quill in hand she had written a few questions once she'd regained her composure. She'd asked about what had happened after she'd been knocked out and where Harry was. Though she had logically accepted Ron's death, emotionally though…

"I'm sorry." Harry's voice swam with a mixture of emotions as he gazed upon the redheaded clan.

It was the Weasley patriarch who responded walking over to hug Harry. "It's alright," the man was fighting back tears though his emotions were evident in the way his voice broke.

Several of the older Weasley brothers moved to embrace the pair.

He barely noticed Luna crawling onto Hermione's bed, leaning into the older girl to offer her support. He felt their grief, he wanted to cry with them, but he couldn't. Mentally he knew he should be crying with them, offering them support, but he found that he just couldn't.

After some time Harry was able to speak. "It's my fault. I was the one who insisted on going to the Ministry. I thought that they had Sirius there, that they were using him to get the prophecy. I told the others not to come, but they wouldn't let me go alone. I… I never thought that this would happen."

"It's alright," the Weasley patriarch said soothingly as he hugged Harry tighter.

Over the next hour Harry retold the events that had taken place in the Ministry of Magic; of the trick that Voldemort had used to lure them to the Department of Mysteries, of the trap that the Death Eaters had set, of the eventual fight and flight of the teens, their eventual rescue by the clandestine group known as the Order of the Phoenix, the pursuit of Bellatrix Lestrange, Ron's death, catching Bellatrix and then Voldemort's duel with Dumbledore before the Aurors and Minister of Magic finally arrived.

* * *

><p>Dumbledore's return to Hogwarts was a somber affair as it came with word that Voldemort had indeed returned. Only the Gryffindors appeared to be affected by the loss of one of their own, though the fifth years had it the worst.<p>

Where there were once five there were now four. The Firewhisky that Seamus and Dean had managed to smuggle in to celebrate the end of their exams sat on Ron's night stand with five glasses that the boys had transfigured back in second year.

"For Ron," Dean said somberly, raising his glass.

The others followed his lead before they all gulped down the charmed liquor.

Neville understood why it was called Firewhisky as it left a scorched trail down his throat.

"Harry," Seamus said as he put his hand on the other boy's arm, "I know I didn't always see eye to eye with you. I'm sorry that I didn't believe you and doubted you. I want you to know that I'm sorry; for everything. Thank you for letting me into the DA. I know you did what you could for us all and if it hadn't been for the DA…."

"What he's trying to say is that if you ever need us we'll be there for you," Dean finished as he placed a hand on Harry's other arm. "We swear to you, whenever you need us we'll be there for you. We know that Ron was your best mate, and we can never replace him, but if you need anything just let us know."

Both boys pulled out their fake gallons.

"We'll all be there for you," Neville added as he pulled the golden coin. "I know you feel responsible, but all of us who went there knew what was at stake. We're at war and it's not fair for us to leave you alone to fight this. We're with you and we accept the consequences, but if we were just to lay down and let them win than our lives would be worthless anyways."

Harry shook his head, fighting to cling to his resolve that this was his battle, but just as Neville and the others had convinced him not to head to the Ministry of Magic alone, his fellow Gryffindors were steadfast in their decision.

"I'm muggle-born," Dean added, "just like Hermione. I doubt that they would take too kindly to me if you lost. I can't leave this fight to others."

"My family lost more than a few during the last war," Seamus stated. "I won't let their deaths or Ron's be in vain."

"My parents fought against V-Voldemort" Dean and Seamus cringed at the dark wizard's name "along with your parents – they lost their minds and may not even recognize me, but even as they are -they wouldn't want me to back down from this fight." He glanced at Seamus and Dean, seeing the surprised look in their eyes at the information that he'd volunteered. They, like Harry and the others, had never thought to ask about why he lived with his grandmother, assuming that it was because his parents had died in the last war. Finally he turned back to Harry and held the other boy's gaze. "We understand what's at risk; for ourselves and our families as well as the wizarding world and we're with you. I swear it."

"As do I," both Seamus and Dean echoed.

Harry fought a losing battle to contain his tears. None of the other faulted him for the display of emotion as they too shed tears for their lost dorm-mate and friend.

As one the four finished the bottle of Firewhiskey, sharing tales of their time with Ron while also opening up about themselves. By morning the bottle was dry though their eyes were not.

* * *

><p>At breakfast Dumbledore spoke to the students, addressing the return of Lord Voldemort, the changes that the Ministry were putting into place, and the death of Ron Weasley. With O.W.L.'s and N.E.W.T.'s as the first of the year end exams to be completed only the fifth and seventh years had free time as their classes and exams were complete, leaving the older students time to openly speculate about the recent events.<p>

With the help of the DA Neville made sure that no one bothered Harry, Hermione, or Luna while they recovered. For his part he tended to sit by at least one of the three girls, though Luna and Ginny spent much of their time taking special exams to make up for their time in the hospital wing. Hermione needed an entire week on the special potion before she was allowed to eat solid food. As was typical she buried herself in books, trying to retrace her steps in the Ministry of Magic and wondering what she might have done differently.

With the term coming to an end there was little reason for him to be out and about in Hogwarts aside from stopping by the hospital wing but it was clear that many of the Slytherins had holed themselves up in their dungeon. Most notably were the children of the Death Eaters – Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, and a score of others. It did not help that the Ministry of Magic and the goblins of Gringott's had agreed to freeze the accounts of the Death Eaters who had been captured or killed in the Ministry of Magic leaving them with only the moneys that they had secreted away in their respective homes to live off of. With their names tarnished and without their considerable wealth backing them students such as Draco Malfoy had decided to avoid being seen in public and dealing with those they perceived as being beneath them.

"Why are there so many pureblood families siding with Voldemort?" Harry asked absently as the quintet of teens walked the shores of the lake. With Ginny and Hermione discharged from the hospital wing the survivors of the battle at the Ministry of Magic had felt the need to get away from the whispers and stolen looks by the others. Even with classes for the term over the five were able to distance themselves from the rest of the student body with the assistance of the other members of the DA.

"It's because most of the other families were killed during the last war," Ginny replied as Neville assisted her. "Mother does not speak of them, but her brothers were killed in the last war. They were in the Order as well. Many of the old family names ended even though their blood carries on in other family names."

"That's why you don't see names like Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, or Hugglepuff," Hermione added. "Their names may have ended, but there are people who can still prove that they are descended from those bloodlines."

Harry walked beside Hermione in silence as he absorbed what the girls had told him. It was clear to all of them that he was still coming to terms with Ron's death just as they all were. Finally, "Why aren't there more ghosts?"

The question surprised Neville, who hadn't thought much about that aspect of, well, death.

"Not everyone who dies becomes a ghost," Luna replied.

"I figured that," Harry added. "They're all witches or wizards."

"They are," the blond ceded, "but not all witches or wizards become ghosts. If they did Hogwarts would be overrun with ghosts. Witches and wizards are capable of leaving imprints of themselves that can walk the world as pale imitations of what they were in life, but very few choose that path."

"Why?" Harry asked impatiently.

"Ron wasn't the type of person to leave an imprint of himself behind," Hermione replied. "All the ghosts were people who were unloved and perhaps unfulfilled. Ron had a loving family, friends who cared about him and whom he cared about. Most of the ghosts didn't have that in their lives."

"Ghosts are like wizarding pictures," Neville added. "They're not capable of aging, growing, or learning. Ghosts may have desires but those desires are reflections of things that they desired in life. Nearly-headless Nick wanted to belong to something, that's why he still tries to join the Headless Hunt. Some of the ghosts want revenge, thus they're sent here to keep them from harming those whom they felt wronged them."

Hermione and Ginny put an arm around Harry as they embraced him. They understood that he was trying to grasp at any possibility of having his friend back.

"My Great Uncle says that you shouldn't dwell on those who are lost," Neville stated as he looked up to the sky. "He tells gran that all the time. She thinks that visiting my parents will help restore their sanity, but everyone else things that it's impossible. Their minds are broken but their bodies remain healthy. He said that my parents are the opposite of ghosts – they have physical bodies but none of the personality."

They settled on a raised bank, watching the waves on the lake and ignoring the rest of the world for now. They were survivors, but they all bore scars that now bound them together.


	3. Chapter 3

In his five years at Hogwarts Neville had never had a more hectic and chaotic summer. King's Cross had been packed with Aurors and press as the Hogwarts Express pulled into the station. Many of the cameras and reporters were focused on Harry and thus the group around him, though the DA managed to provide enough cover for him to slip past the reporters it did not help that the recently cleared Sirius Black was waiting for his godson.

The other rings of the media circus were focused on the children of the captured Death Eaters. Draco was the most prominent of the group, with a large cadre of reporters swarming around his mother as she waited for him. It surprised Neville that he had a contingent of reporters waiting for him and swarming about his gran.

"Is it true that you killed Rodolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange?"

The question had caught him and the other members of the DA by surprise. It had been one of the few things that Harry and Neville had not mentioned to the others. He himself recalled killing only Bellatrix though he had run another through with Gryffindor's sword.

"Are you concerned that Rabastan Lestrange is still on the loose?"

"Is it true that the Longbottoms have put a claim against the Lestrange estate?"

"Is it true that you have a claim against the Lestrange estate by right of victory?"

"Is it true that the Death Eaters sought a prophecy concerning He-who-will-not-be-named and Harry Potter?"

With the DA focused on preventing the reporters from getting too close to Harry it was all Neville could do to keep from facing them. Stopping in his tracks he focused his attention on the reporters from the Quibbler. Luna had said that the success of Harry's exclusive with Rita Skeeter had allowed her father to add a reporter to their small staff. For his part Xenophillius was not focused on getting the story from any of the DA, though his new reporter was bouncing around between the children of the captured Death Eaters.

"Oyo, you," Neville said as he pointed to the ginger haired woman.

From the look of her she was one of the Weasley's cousins. If she was in fact a Weasley than she was not using her family ties to score an interview with them or perhaps she was under orders not to bother any member of the DA. The woman turned to her boss, unsure if she should acknowledge Neville. With a nod from the blond man she cautiously approached Neville.

"Elizabeth Weasley with the Quibbler," her voice was firm and confident as her fellow reporters turned to focus on her and Neville.

Neville nodded, "I'll answer your questions."

"Did you kill the Lestranges?"

"I might have dealt Rodolphus blow, but I hadn't checked on his condition as I was busy fighting other Death Eaters," he replied. "But I know I killed Bellatrix."

"Was it revenge for your parents?" someone else asked.

He ignored the other reporter. A quick scan of the area told him that more reporters were turning their focus to him as he was perhaps the only one answering their inquiries.

"Do you feel you've avenged your parents?" Elizabeth asked.

He shook his head. "I didn't do it out of a sense of revenge. We were in the middle of a fight when I struck Rodolphus. I was just trying to stay alive. As for his wife I was just trying to keep her from getting away and I managed to catch her off guard."

Out of the corner of his eye he watched as Harry and Sirius slipped away from the dwindling throng of reporters. He recognized some of those around them as being part of the Order of the Phoenix and as their rescuers in the Ministry of Magic.

"I won't stop fighting against the Death Eaters and their self-styled lord of a master." He paused for dramatic effect, letting a few reporters take a picture of him as he did so. "Yeah, I'm talking about Voldemort." There was a gasp amongst the reports and others about him but he didn't care. "He's no lord, just someone with dreams of grandeur and a sense of entitlement. His followers latched onto him because they feel the same sense of entitlement."

He paused not for effect, but because he truly did not know where he wanted to direct the conversation. Had it been Hermione or even Luna they would have been able to make a concise argument and point.

"As a member of the Wizengamot I will be calling for a thorough investigation of all of the captured Death Eaters, their family funds, and ways that they have sought to influence the Ministry of Magic," his gran proclaimed. "With the assistance of the goblins of Gringotts we hope to weed out any who abused their position and authority.

"For too long we've allowed the system to protect the old families just because they were old, but it is clear that many of those individuals have taken advantage of the system and even exploited it. We can no longer tolerate such corruption."

Little did he realize at the time how much the scene that he'd helped cause would disrupt the rest of his summer as his gran was called to various meetings of the Wizengamot, played host to several other members of the Wizengamot, as well as to various reporters who sought interviews with her about her work as well as with Neville for his part in the still mysterious incident in the Ministry of Magic.

It did not help that there were reports of more Death Eater attacks. That they had a year to prepare themselves for war did not sit well with many. Deactivated or retired Aurors were called back into service. The Daily Prophet began publishing articles about how to cast defensive charms and wards around a home as well as articles about attacks by dark witches and wizards. Several members of the Wizengamot who had brought forth or worked on the inquiries into the Death Eaters and their families were threatened, a few even went missing, but those attacks did not have their desired effect of stopping or even impeding the inquiries as others took up the work of their absent colleagues.

Given his role in the DA and his gran's actions in the Wizengamot it made sense that they would increase the security about their residence. Several Great Uncles had stopped by to reinforce the wards and charms protecting Longbottom manor.

It had been rare for anyone to visit the manor in the past but this summer there had not been a single day that Neville had not seen someone visiting the manor.

"Neville," his gran called out to him as she flooed into the master dining room.

He'd never really cared about her schedule before but this year things were different. Once he had purchased a new wand his gran had stressed the importance of knowing what her schedule was as she prepared for the worst. She'd dealt with it fifteen years ago during the last war and even with supposedly impenetrable defenses her son and his family, as well as the Potters had been attacked in their homes. His gran was not going to let that happen again.

Her early arrival today was unexpected, but it had not triggered the wards about their home. Still, Neville grasped his wand and waited for his elf Ozzy to pronounce that things were safe.

"All is well." The smooth skin of the elf hinted at his youth. The youngest son of the head elf Fozzy, Ozzy was assigned to tend to Neville's needs as well as to defend him. His oldest brother Hizzy had died the night that the Lestranges had attacked Neville's parents while a very young Ozzy had secreted Neville away. "Your Lady Grandmother is not alone."

The man standing beside his grandmother was not unfamiliar to him, though in truth he was still a mystery. Sirius Black had been sent to Azkaban only to break out a few years back. Many thought that the man had betrayed the Potters resulting in Harry becoming an orphan, but recent events had shed light on the man's role and ultimate innocence. The fact that Harry had vowed for the last Scion of House Black meant that there was much more going on between them than Harry had let on.

"Neville," his gran said with a strained smile, "this is Sirius Black."

The quiet boy nodded, "I know, we met in the Ministry of Magic." Offering the man his hand he was greeted with a startlingly firm grip.

The man was handsome despite his time in Azkaban though he would never recover what he had lost while incarcerated. Still, he appeared to be better now than he had a month ago.

"I actually came because you were there," Sirius stated as he released Neville's hand. "I am here because I care about Harry, and I believe you do too."

* * *

><p>As much as he dreaded returning to his aunt's house Harry was actually glad that he had not spent too much time with the Weasley clan as they privately mourned their loss. He knew that the other Weasleys had considered him to be almost family but he could not look at them the same way. His time with the Dursleys though reminded him just how much he missed the wizarding world and the Weasleys in particular.<p>

It had come as a surprise that Duddly had left him alone, though the bigger boy had given him odd looks when his parents weren't looking. Harry had not thought much of it as he treasured the isolation. Only the occasional letter from Neville, Hermione, and Sirius broke up the monotony of life with the Dursleys. Without the Dursleys trying to keep tabs on their troubled ward he was able to sneak away to a local diner or a café to read the Daily Prophet or the Quibbler.

He was glad that Luna and her father were able to spend the summer abroad as a result of the exclusive interview he'd allowed to be published with them. The interview had also allowed them to hire a paid writer and reporter that focused on more relevant news.

Harry had briefly seen the new reporter back at King's Cross when Neville had diverted the reporters to allow Harry and Sirius to leave unnoticed. He'd read her article about how Neville and his grandmother were taking a stand against the system that allowed the old pureblood families to get away with so much. The reporter was a distant Weasley cousin who had graduated from Hogwarts the year before Harry had even received his letter. As a cousin she was at Ron's funeral though some shied away from her because of her current position with the Quibbler.

What troubled him was the fact that he had not thought to ask Arthur or any of the Weasleys about their family. He knew that they were a pureblood family and were supposed to be fairly big, though the only relative he recalled Ron talking about was their Aunt Muriel.

The Weasleys were a large clan, something uncommon in pureblood families as most had only two or three children the Weasleys tended to have upwards of six. As such they were not likely to accumulate much wealth which set them apart from the other pureblood families. Like most of the old pureblood families there were a number of marriage bonds to the other pureblood families. They had been married to Black, Potter, and Prewett in the past. Arthur had three brothers and one sister and had been the youngest of the five.

Sirius had provided Harry with several books that tracked the various pureblood families through the ages so that he could discover more about his family as well as the Black family, Weasley family and Longbottoms. It provided him with something to read other than the Daily Prophet and Quibbler especially as the latter was a weekly publication and there was only so much time he could spend reading and rereading about the various trials, investigations and methods to protect oneself.

His time alone also allotted him the necessary time to practice clearing his mind as he sought to improve his mental defenses. While he had been able to repel Voldemort's attempt to control him in the Ministry of Magic it had only been because he had drawn on the grief he felt over Ron's death. He knew now that the dark lord was not able to deal with such a powerful emotion, but Harry also knew that he could not deal with it over prolonged periods of time either.

In the weeks since Ron's funeral he had slow come to terms with the loss of his best mate, but that did not mean that he could deal with the Weasleys. Each time he saw them he was as though the wound left by Ron's death was being reopened, and he felt that it was the same for them as well.

Heading to 12 Grimmauld Place was a nice reprieve as it marked his return to the magical community without leaving him exclusively with the Weasleys. With the remaining Death Eaters ramping up their efforts in an attempt to terrorize the populace and seek revenge against those who stood against them it was not a surprise that the Weasleys had opted to stay at the headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix. In Hermione's last letter she had mentioned that she too would be there for his birthday. Luna was still abroad with her father and would not return to England until August if everything went according to plan.

Looking up from the Daily Prophet, Harry felt more than heard a wizard apparate. Hand on his wand he scanned the area and was relieved to see the familiar form of Professor Dumbledore. Relaxing, he folded the paper before walking over to the man that few others noticed.

"In these dark times one can never be too cautious," Dumbledore advised with a slight smile. "You were being a bit reckless there."

"I am fairly certain that no Death Eat would manage steal your hairs for a polyjuice potion," Harry replied.

"True, true," the wizard ceded, "but I do advise caution. Now, if you would take my hand."

"Where are we going Professor?" Harry asked as he stashed the paper and his wand into his back pocket.

"I need to see about acquiring a new professor. I seem to always be in need of one every year. It's rather maddening really."

Harry smirked as he took the man's offered hand, only to stop at the sight of the blackened flesh. "Professor."

"There is a rather interesting tale there, but I am afraid that it is not a tale I have the time to tell tonight."

Having traveled by portkey Harry had previously experienced magical travel, but it had not prepared him for apparating. With the portkey he had been pulled ahead by the enchanted object but with apparating it was as though he were being pulled into himself and then shot back out upon arriving at their intended destination, leaving him disoriented and off balance as they appeared along a darkened street.

It took a moment for him to reorient himself, but once he did he pulled out his wand. He could sense the magic in the air and it felt menacing. Following Dumbledore's lead he entered fenced yard then watched as Dumbledore sealed the yard with a flick of his wand.

The door to the house was sealed with magic but the spell failed to keep Professor Dumbledore from entering the house. The interior was in disarray with bits of plaster, furniture, and china scattered about.

"Lumos!" Harry's spell illuminated the dining room and spilled into the next room. Large cracks exposed the wood behind the plaster along the walls and ceiling.

Cautiously he followed Dumbledore into what appeared to be a living room or den as shelves filled with books lined the walls and a broken desk lay in a darkened corner of the room.

Something wet and cold dripped onto him as he crossed the threshold separating the two rooms. Instinctively he turned to the ceiling, spotting the spray of dark blood that clung to the white plaster.

So focused on the blood was he that he failed to notice Dumbledore approaching him. With his good hand the professor wiped the droplet off of Harry's shoulder before cautiously testing it with the tip of his tongue.

Like the other room this room appeared to have seen better days as books were strewn about and the furniture was destroyed.

Casting his own illuminating spell, Dumbledore began to examine the room while Harry focused on the destroyed desk. "There doesn't appear to be anyone here."

With a sudden thrust, Dumbledore jabbed the lounge chair with his wand, eliciting a yelp.

"What where you put that thing!" the plush piece of furniture exclaimed.

Harry watched as the lounge chair slowly transformed into an aged man with receding hair. The man's white mustache and rotund figure made Harry think of a walrus.

Angrily the man pulled out his own wand, though he was far from threatening. With a few casual waves he adjusted his robe so that it fit him perfectly. "What gave me away?"

"There was no dark mark," Dumbledore replied as he took as step back from the man. "And the pattern on the chair did not seem to match the décor of the room. Speaking of the room, why don't we set things right?"

Both wizards flicked their wands at various bits of debris. In a flash the rooms were restored as though nothing had occurred. Pages were returned to books which were in turn set properly in their places along the multiple shelves. The cracked plaster was repaired and looked as good as new. The chandler was restored as well, filling the room with bright, warm light so that the wizards no longer needed their wands.

It was a display of casual magic but was none the less impressive to the teen wizard in training.

"I know why you're here Albus," the stout man stated as he turned towards the esteemed wizard. "I'll have you know that I have no intention of going back to Hogwarts. It's not safe there!"

"And it's safe here?" the taller wizard replied. "I must say, it is nice here, but how long do you think you can stay here?

The other wizard held his ground, "The owners are off in the Canary Isles, they won't notice that I've even been here."

"And then where will you go? It seems that you are putting far more effort into running than it's worth."

"Who are you running from?" Harry found himself asking. The answer should have been obvious, but he wasn't sure why the Death Eaters would be interested in this old wizard.

"The Death Eaters of course. They don't take 'no' lightly. They've been hounding me since their return was made public."

"Why would they want you?" Again he wasn't sure why he'd voiced his question aloud.

"Horace Slughorn here was once an esteemed Professor at Hogwarts," Dumbledore explained. "It just so happens that he was the instructor that taught many of the Death Eaters. He was there with me when Tom was there as well, though he also taught your parents and other members of the Order as well. They, like I, am looking for an accomplished wizard."

"I won't go," Slughorn muttered. "If I go there they'll think I'm siding with you."

Harry was not sure how to take the man's honest show of cowardice.

With a sigh Dumbledore shook his head dramatically. "Where's the loo?"

Slughorn gave Dumbledore a calculating look, "Second door to the right."

He struggled to find something to say as Dumbledore excused himself, leaving the teen alone with the former professor.

"You look like your father," Horace finally said. "But"

"I have my mother's eyes," Harry finished. He'd heard that so much that it had begun to irk him when strangers used it as an icebreaker.

"She was a remarkable witch," a note of tenderness made Harry look at the man. Most who spoke of his mother thought fondly of her, but most had been friends with her. What was she to him that this stranger was expressing such fondness? "She was one of my favorites." Walking with purpose the man led Harry towards a line of pictures. "Here she is," he stated drawing Harry's attention to a picture, "right in front."

He'd seen plenty of pictures of his mother, though most of them were of her time after Hogwarts. She was much younger in Slughorn's picture as she stood beside the former professor and a group of others about her age. They looked to be about his current age and wore their house colors and emblems, but only one other face was recognizable – Severus Snape.

"Best student I ever had, and that's saying a lot," he chuckled. "Hard to believe that she was muggle born."

"My best friend is a muggle born," Harry said defensively. "And she's the brightest witch in my year!"

"I don't mean to disparage muggle borns," Slughorn stated. "There are many who are equally or even more talented than those who come from pureblood families, but for someone without a magical background to succeed at potions early on is difficult."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, children from magical families tend to have exposure to some of the less threatening magical ingredients, particularly magical plants and small bugs or animals. They understand that salamander tales need to be handled differently than newt tales, or that certain ingredients can be switched out or substituted with others that have a stronger or weaker effect than the original.

"Potions are not about simply following directions, but about getting a feel for the ingredients and how well they work together with each other. Anyone can follow instructions, but it takes someone special to take the ingredients and make them more than the sum of the potion's parts.

"It's like how I managed to recognize the brilliance of these students," he pointed to the assorted pictures "and helped refine them into who they are. Your mother was more than just a potion's master; she was a courageous woman who could charm people with her wit and charisma. And her wand work was exceptional as well."

There was a slight glint in the man's eyes as he looked over the pictures of his past students.

"They all became famous then?" Harry asked as he recognized another student in a far older picture. Slowly he began to recognize other faces as well, though he had not actually set eyes on their faces when he'd met them.

"Most did," Slughorn sighed. "Some were taken before their time, as your mother was. Those were dark days."

He paused, considering the pictures before him. "Regulus Black… I taught all of the Black children, but not all of them took to me. Your god-father was one of them, but I got Regulus when he came. Promising young lad, but his life ended before his brilliance could be shown.

"Frank Longbottom," another hint of fondness mixed with sorrow "he became an Auror and quickly rose up their ranks quickly though his career was cut short. He was nearly the exact opposite of your father. Like Sirius, James liked to have a good time and thought little of the rules, while Frank adhered to rules and structure."

For a moment they both stood silently as the students in the pictures waved at them.

"I heard that you led Frank's son into the Ministry," Slughorn said as he tried to change the topic at hand. "Young Neville has even spoken out against the Death Eaters and their dark master. He must be a good friend if he followed you in there. I doubt many your age would have gone in knowing what you faced."

Harry nodded, unsure how to respond. Two months ago he had thought of Neville and Luna as more comrades and classmates than friends, but they had more than proven themselves to him but what had he done to earn their trust, faith, and friendship?

"Well," Dumbledore's voice interjected from the hallway, "I suppose it's time for us to go."

Slughorn stood tall, affronted by the other man's declaration. "Already?!"

"I know when I'm beat," Dumbledore feigned dejection. "I must dedicate my time to find a worthy professor. I admit it is not an easy task having to continually fill a vacancy in the staff. Perhaps I'll speak to Sirius since we're headed there anyways. He might be a tad bit reckless, but who else has first-hand experience with dementors and werewolves? Did you know Harry, Sirius' great-grandfather was once Headmaster?"

Harry fought to hold back a smile though he doubted that Slughorn was even paying attention to him at this point.

"Do you mind?" Dumbledore asked as he held up a magazine. "I really do find knitting to be so fascinating."

Dumbfounded, Slughorn could only nod as his uninvited guests suddenly departed.

It was not until the pair had nearly reached the gate that Slughorn responded, "Alright! I'll come back!"

Dumbledore and Harry turned to acknowledge the rotund man as he gasped for air from the slight exertion.

"But I'll want a better office, not that water closet that I had last time!"

"Of course," Dumbledore replied with a smile. "I'll see you at the start of term."

Once the pair walked past the barrier separating the yard from the neighborhood Harry allowed his smirk to set in, "You knew he'd accept."

"I hoped he would," Dumbledore countered. "I knew of his plight and his reasons against coming to Hogwarts, but I also know that he is the type of person who does not like the spotlight yet loves attention and gratitude."

It appeared to be a contradiction which confused the younger wizard.

"Horace is a collector – like a spider he collects people. He has amassed a collection of people and pulls subtle strings to assist those he believes will shine brightest. He will never be the one in the spotlight but he will enjoy the thanks and gratitude that those he has mentored give him."

Harry nodded in understanding. "He mentioned Neville's father."

The wise old wizard gave a slight nod, "Frank achieved everything on his own. He had a slight falling out with Horace when he saw some of the people that had gathered under Professor Slughorn."

"He taught Tom."

Again the old man nodded. "And many Death Eaters as well as some of the Order of the Phoenix - I am sure you saw your mother and Professor Snape."

Harry nodded again.

"I know for a fact that he also taught Marlene McKinnon, Caradoc Dearborn, Edgar Bones, and Benjy Fenwick – all exceptional individuals who were members of the Order.

"Horace is a man who prides himself on the people he's helped make, unfortunately there are some whom he helped that he would rather not be associated with."

"Like Tom Riddle."

That brought about a slight nod, "He will try to collect you and perhaps Neville at the least. You will of course be he crown jewel, but the others will help him distance himself from the handful of Death Eaters that he helped position."

Harry felt his heart race at the implication.

"Professor Slughorn would not normally be my first option, but circumstances require me to recruit him," Dumbledore explained. "It is a task that only you can do. When the time is right I will tell you what you need to get from him. Once the term begins I would like to start tutoring you."

"It would be an honor," Harry replied.

Dumbledore gave a slight smile, "I will do what I can to prepare you for what is to come. Now, we must be off to see Sirius."

Again Harry took the ancient wizard's hand before feeling the unsettling tug of magic as it seemed to invert him and then spit him out in London. Fighting back the urge to throw up Harry slowly stood tall and gazed upon 12 Grimmauld Place.

As the two crossed the threshold that separated the hidden building from prying eyes Harry immediately spotted several differences. When last he had been at the Black family house that his god-father had inherited the building had been dark and gloomy, now it was brighter and warmer, though the walls were still decked in black, green, and silver.

"Harry!" Sirius' hug was welcoming and refreshing.

A chorus of greetings sprang up from the Weasleys as each embraced him to some degree.

"What happened here?" he finally asked once the greetings were over.

Sirius glanced at the walls and shook his head, "Albus reprimanded me for my treatment of Kreacher. I may not be the ideal Black, but I am the last Black, and as such I need to treat him better than I have in the past. It also helps that someone else has been showing me how to be nicer to Kreacher."

"I though Hermione was still vacationing with her parents," Harry said as he looked for the bushy haired girl.

"Not Hermione," Ginny sighed. "Neville's here with his house elf."

It took a moment for that fact to sink in. "Neville has an elf?"

"They may not be as rich as the Malfoys, but the Longbottoms are an old family," Sirius stated. "Dumbledore thought it would be a good idea to have someone from another family show you what responsibilities you might have to endure as the head of a bloodline."

"Wait, what? You're kidding me, right?"

Fred, or was it George, shook his head. "Afraid not mate. The Potters are an old pureblood family, and unlike the Weasleys, they have some clout in the Wizarding world as well as some money."

"Lord Potter," George, or Fred, said with a dramatic bow.

Ginny promptly slugged her brother in the arm. "Neville's here because Rabastan Lestrange is after him. His gran wanted him somewhere the Death Eaters couldn't get to him, and since his parents were in the Order Dumbledore and the others agreed that they would watch out for him until he goes back to school.

"The fact that he brought his house elf was an added bonus as he's been able to show Sirius how to treat Kreacher, though Kreacher still has his moments. He still makes a few rude remarks, but only about the twins when they cause so much havoc."

"You wound me little sister," one of the twins remarked.

"Tongue sharper than Gryffindor's sword this one," the other added as the two offered each other support. Cautiously they backed away.

"We're expecting a full house for the meeting tonight," Molly said, ending their conversation. "The new Minister has been trying to pressure Dumbledore into giving him a list of the active members of the Order."

"Why would he do that?" Harry asked.

Sirius shrugged, "He is more invested in defeating the Death Eaters and Voldemort but he does not like clandestine groups such as the Order. It undermines his authority."

"Things have gotten complicated at the Ministry. Augusta Longbottom and Amelia Bones have put considerable pressure on the Wizengamot to weed out the corrupt individuals. Unfortunately that means that many of them are running for cover to protect their own hides rather than focusing on stopping the Death Eaters.

"Many of the top officials in the Ministry are from some of the old families, some of them are related to known Death Eaters. If not for the fact that the goblins control Gringotts, Bones and Longbottom would not have gotten as far as they did in freezing the accounts of known Death Eaters.

"There are still some of Fudge's people or at least people who thought like Fudge who think that Dumbledore is using the war to better position himself and those loyal to him once the war is over. They're taking advantage of the new legislation to look into known members of the Order and anyone who associates with them. They do not like that we are using the Fidelius Charm and other spells like it which cannot be regulated by the Ministry and thus undone by the Ministry."

"Even Fred and George are having issues," Ginny added. "Some in the Ministry love their products, but others want them to teach Ministry officials to create the shielding hats."

"Shielding hats?" Harry repeated.

"They're hats that have a shielding charm built into them," one of the twins replied. "They're good for one shielding charm, but once it's used it takes a day for the charm to renew itself. We're trying to work it down to an hour."

The other twin nodded, "We made them back in Hogwarts when we were dealing with Umbridge's thug squad. Whenever one of them tried to jinx or charm us our hats would deflect the first spell giving us time to counter or escape while leaving them dumbfounded."

"Once we opened the shop Percy stopped in and asked what the hat did," Fred muttered. "Mind you, I didn't want to tell him at first"

"Because he was such a prat"

"But he is our brother"

"And he did reach out to us to try and make amends with mum and dad"

"So we showed him what it could do"

"and he bought some and took them to work"

"and now they're our number one seller."

"Of course Neville won't let them test their hats on him," Ginny added. "He learned his lesson last year."

"Speaking of Neville's family, where is Neville?" Harry asked as he finally realized who was missing.

"Dumbledore wanted to talk to him," Sirius replied. "Probably about what his grandmother is doing in the Ministry. The Wizengamot can only initiate an investigation or bring someone to trial for breaking any wizarding laws; they do not have the power to actually pass any laws.

"Dumbledore's been reinstated in the Wizengamot but there are still plenty of those in the Wizengamot who were loyal to Fudge as you no doubt saw when you were on trial last year."

Harry nodded. For a moment it seemed as though everyone had gotten over Ron's absence.


End file.
